Ten on Tuesday : 21

Inspired by Bikram’s suggestion in the last post, I thought of sharing some 10 tips and tricks, some quick recipes you can cook in your Microwave.

1. Boil Potatoes/Peas : Just wash 3-4 medium sized potatoes or a cup of shelled peas in a microwave safe bowl with lid and keep it on 100% Micro Power for 2 minutes! Try it, the potatoes and peas will be as soft as the way they’d turn out when boiled in a pressure cooker! And just look at the time involved!!

2. Stuffed Bhindi (Okra/Lady Fingers) : Slit the washed lady fingers and stuff them with any filling of your choice. In a microwave safe bowl, add a 1 tsp of oil and place the stuffed vegetable neatly, sprinkle a few drops of water on it. Cover it with a lid and use 100% Micro Power for 3-5 minutes!!

3. Carrot Halwa : In a microwave safe bowl, add the grated carrots (5-6) and 2 tbsp of ghee. Use 100% Micro Power for 4-5 minutes. Add whole dried milk (Mawa) and sugar and again keep it on 100% Micro Power for 4-5 minutes. Yes in 10 minutes, the carrot halwa is ready to eat!!

4. Kadhi Pakora : My favorite dish for Microwave cooking. In a microwave safe bowl, add oil, microwave for 2 minutes at 100% power. Add mustard seeds, asafoetida, cumin seeds, curry leaves, fennel and let them crackle for a minute. Add ginger-green chilli paste along with salt, red chilli powder and turmeric powder. Microwave for 3 minutes at 100% Power. Beat curd, water, gram flour to make a smooth paste. Add this to the spicy masala. Stir. Microwave for 10-12 minutes at 100% Micro Power. Add Pakoras (made on the gas, coz deep frying is not feasible in a microwave!) to the Kadhi and Microwave covered at 80% Power for 5-6 minutes. Garnish with chopped coriander.

5. Bread Rolls : Make the masala with boiled potatoes, chopped onions, green chillies, ginger, green coriander and spices. Take bread slices, soak them in water, squeeze the extra water, fill in the aloo masala and shape them in cylindrical rolls. Brush the rolls with oil and grill on the greased non-stick tawa/ microwave safe flat dish at high rack for 18-20 minutes. Turn in between for uniform browning from all sides. Imagine a healthy bread roll which is not deep fried!!

6. Dry Methi/Mint : If you want to store methi (Fenugreek leaves) and mint and use the dried version later. On the glass turn table of the microwave, keep the washed methi /mint leaves. Microwave at 100% Power for 5-6 minutes. Let it stand on the glass turn table in the microwave for 5 minutes. When cool, crush/powder it and store it in air-tight container. Use dried methi in any vegetable or parathas and mint for curd in any season!

7. Crisp Moistened Namkeen/Snacks/Biscuits : Namkeens/Snacks/Biscuits/chips/Wafers/Cookies, when left outside for long or during the rainy season lose their crispiness and freshness. In order to make them as fresh and crisp as before, place these snacks on a paper napkin on the turn table and Microwave at 100% Power for 1-2 minutes. Allow it to stand for 3-5 minutes. All these snacks would be crunchier and crisp!

8. Pappad : Take a pappad and cut into 2-4 pieces. Place the 2-4 pieces in the different folds of a paper napkin. Microwave for 1-2 minutes at 100% Power. Crispy, crunchy and a pappad which is equally roasted from all sides is right in front of you!!

9. White Sauce : Microwave butter in a microwave safe bowl at 100% for 30-50 Seconds. Add flour (Maida) and mix it. Microwave at 100% Power for 2 minutes and stir in between. Add milk, stir to prevent lumps. Microwave again at 100% Power for 3-5 minutes. Add salt and black pepper as per taste!

10. Baked Vegetables in White Sauce : Another favorite at our home. Wash and chop all vegetables ( peas, cauliflower, french beans, carrots, capsicum). In a microwave safe bowl, melt butter at 100% Power for 50 seconds. Add the vegetables and some water. Microwave for 8-10 minutes at 100% Power till they turn tender. Add white sauce (recipe given above), sliced mushrooms, salt and pepper to taste and Microwave (covered) at 100% Power for 3-5 minutes. Preheat the Microwave oven at 250 Degree C at Convection mode. Sprinkle grated cheese and bake uncovered for 10-15 minutes.

Believe me, Microwave Cooking is far simpler, easier and convenient than the traditional Indian cooking. It cooks fast, cooks healthy as less oil/ghee is used and also all the nutrients are retained during microwave cooking!

So, explore the real uses of your microwave and of course continue to warm up your cooked food!

I am zapped totally. Never thought there was so much to microwave cooking. I have a book on microwave cooking and never really gave it a good look until now.

However I have one question or rather a thought…most of our sabjis, sambhars, etc taste so good because of the slow simmering they undergo once the frying etc is done. How can we get that result with the microwave? I always assumed this is why microwave cooking never became as popular.

Microwave cooking is much more than this! Try out recipes from your book, you will enjoy it, I am sure!Well, there is no difference in taste in both the forms of cooking. In microwave, there are settings for 80%-60%-40% Power too, so if you wanna cook it on low Power (like sim of gas), you can use these Power!It’s not popular because, we dont use it the way it should be! I know for sure (those 29 ladies and also my friend circle) most of the people have never read the manuals that come along with it!! So when we dont try/use it, how can it be popular!?

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Hey! I am Shilpa Garg.
Welcome to A Rose is a Rose is a Rose! I’m glad you’re here. Here you will find thoughts, views, opinions and observations of things around me, as they are, not as they should be. Read More…